A look back at Tottenham’s 1-0 win against Hull City

It’s hard to know where to begin when describing an eminently forgettable match of this nature. From our point of view it posed more questions than it answered. The footballing highlights can be quickly dealt with, both sides had a couple of half chances in the first half. We totally dominated play in the second period but for all our possession and huffing and puffing we didn’t look like breaking through until some unfortunate defender was in the wrong place at the wrong time and Roberto Soldado once more made the art of penalty taking look ridiculously straight forward. A reward for persistence on our part or incompetence on the referee’s depending on your point of view. Hull didn’t get in our box in the second half and deserved everything they took home despite Bruce’s blatherings.

Comedy highlight was Tom Huddlestone’s enthusiastic response to hearing his name sung by the home crowd as the game drew its final breaths. One hopes he was going to applaud the fans anyway and didn’t miss the irony of the cheers given that he’d just belted the free kick that represented Hull’s last remaining chance of a point in to row J. (Did they not ask him why his hair’s like that? He can’t score goals! Why give the ball to him?)

Zombie highlight was the resurrection of Andros Townsend after he piled over the advertising hoardings. The flying youngster had been down for so long that it seemed more likely that an ambulance would make an appearance than anything. The sight of the winger, complete with wrist bandage, waving from the touchlines and desperate to rejoin the fray was extraordinary and evidence of commitment rare enough to hearten the soul. “He was born to play for Spurs”.

So three points but few chances and little in the way of entertainment (take note Andre before you criticise those who’ve coughed up their hard earned).

So, questions then. How have we ended up in a position where we desperately miss Danny Rose? We’ve been very poor down the left since he disappeared. How have we ended up where we finish games with Defoe playing in the number ten position and Christian Eriksen on the left? Why are all our defensive transfer window signings thriving and our attacking ones struggling? Why play Lennon on the left when we spent £7m on Chadli who plays in that position? Why play Sandro for the third time in a week after he’s had a long lay off when the dribbling Dembele was fresh and available to try and unlock what was inevitably going to be a packed defence?

Nine goals in nine games isn’t going to be good enough if that’s how we mean to continue. Soldado needs more chances. In my opinion we should be asking Eriksen what he wants in terms of formation and give it to him. Everton next weekend where we should get more space to hopefully be creative with and get some slickness back. COYS.